English fiction -- 20th century; English wit and humor; Humorous stories, English; Short stories, English; Sports stories
Personally I was all for coming to see you at once. But you wrote
that you would prefer me to postpone my visit for a week; at the end
of which time you would have settled down, and I should be more in a
position to do you justice--the critic, rather than the mere
reporter. I don't know if those were quite your words, but that at
any rate was the idea. So, baby, here I am--a week later, and just
returned from seeing you. What, you wish to know, were my
impressions?
It is like your cool way, asking me what I think of you. It was you
who were to have been interviewed by _me_. You were a stranger, one
short week on our shores; and I wanted to ask you what you thought of
the English ladies, what were your views on our climate and (above
all) what was your opinion of the English press. My editor had heard
of your landing, and those were the things he wished to know. Well,
I shall say that your views were undecided. Two kicks, a cry, and
something very like a sneeze--you haven't quite got the hang of our
language yet.
You know, Margery, there was at one time some talk of your being a
boy; and, in that case, your father and I had decided that you were
to play for Kent. I was to have bowled to you every evening, and he
would have stood by and said, "You should have come forward to that
one, sir." At the public schools they call this "coaching."
However, that dream is over now, and the most we can hope for is that
you should marry someone in the eleven. Your father and I were
discussing it last night (in front of you--oh, what would Mrs Grundy
say?), and we had almost fixed on Woolley; but your mother objected
because he was a professional. A trivial reason, dear Margery, but
you know what women are. You gave a little cry just at that moment,
and I know you meant, "Well, why not Mr Hutchings then?" Well, we
had thought of him, only your mother says he will be too old. I do
hope, baby, that when you grow up you will be guided by what your
heart says, and not by what your mother says....
Your mother--I think you must be careful in your dealings with that
woman. Above all, do not let her prejudice you against your uncle.
At one time yesterday we were discussing your personal features.
"Her grannie's mouth," said somebody; "her father's nose,"
volunteered another. "Look at the darling's eyes, just like her
loving mummy's," was that shameless person's own contribution. Then
I in haste, "But, I say, what about her uncle?"
Margery, your mother looked at you thoughtfully. She looked at you
every way. And then suddenly, in triumph, she cried, "Why, nurse!
Of course! Her uncle's hair!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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